Ender's Game

I finally read Orson Scott Card's sci-fi novel Ender's Game. Best quote: "There is only one game." Given the rapid evolution of video games and the Internet as a medium of communication and interaction, OSC's depiction of both in the novel have held up amazingly well.

As an LDS reader who got to know OSC via his LDS essays on BeliefNet and Meridian before sampling any of his fiction, I kind of approached the fiction from a different perspective than most. I was reading it to get a fix on OSC as much as for the sci-fi, but there was surprisingly little of either his politics or religion in the book. It was just good, clean fun (ignoring the fact an entire race of sentient insects was wiped out, but having been stung by a wasp last week that didn't cause me much remorse).

So, in case the Brethren are still drawing lots on those openings in the Twelve . . . OSC gets my vote. His religious views are far enough to the right to pass the Big 15 litmus test, plus he is (I'm assuming) rich, which always makes a big impression on LDS leadership (a sign of God's favor, you know). And think of the headlines! So if they're not going to shake things up by calling a woman to be an Apostle, let's go with OSC. [edited 12/22]

Comments

[danithew]

When I first read Ender's Game years ago it was one of those few books that I really could not put down until I was finished. It's a fun read more than anything else but it's one science fiction book that I suggest to others when the topic comes up. Supposedly there's a movie coming out but I believe that's been an idea or project for a very long time. Who knows when it will actually (if ever) come to fruition.

[Rusty]

Ender's Game was the book that got me interested in reading. I love that book and have read it 6-7 times. It was on a list on Amazon's top 100 books of the millennium (#32) which delightfully surprised me. Yes, it is going to be made into a movie, Warner Brothers is making it, Wolfgang Peterson is going to direct it, OSC wrote the first draft of the screenplay, and now the writers from X-Men 2 are writing it. It is going to be made soon. Not that it could possibly rival the book though. I've never met someone who read it that didn't like it. Even my wife enjoyed it.

[Bryce I]

Don't stop there. The next book in the series, Speaker for the Dead, is the best of the seven or eight books (or nine? I lose track) in the Enderverse. Less action, more ideas, just as riveting.

Or, since you're new to the series, you can go straight to Ender's Shadow, which tells the story of Bean during the timeframe of Ender's Game. It's a nice little exercise that has spawned a rich storyline of its own.

[Nathan]

"plus he is (I'm assuming) rich"

A science fiction writer who's rich? Giggle. Not unless by "rich" you mean "able to support himself on his writing," which is a rare enough situation for most writers.

And I guarantee you, he's 10% poorer than any comparably successful writer. :-)

[Chris]

First, I love your blog. I read Ender's Game recently and was stunned by Card's description of blogs and laptops. Granted, what we use now is different, but the ideas were still there.

What was even better what Card's exploration of the human condition. His description of "gifted" children and how they see the world was facinating.

The movie will be interesting to see. After reading the book, I can see how challenging crafting a film from it could be.

[Dave]

Thanks for dropping in, Chris. Yes, it took awhile, but first Drudge and now "new media blogging" have really made an impact. OSC depicted the impact as policy discussion, like some global town-hall debate, whereas it seems to be news stories that are giving "new media blogging" its big splash. Still, he did a pretty fair job peeking into the future.

As for the script, given the ability of Hollywood special effects (even New Zealand special effects!) to bring fantasy and sci-fi to life on the screen, Ender's Game could hit it big in the movies. If he's not rich from the books, maybe he'll hit the jackpot with the movies. He works hard enough that he probably deserves it. [edited 12/22]

[Steve Marsh (Ethesis)]

Sheesh, I remember driving up to Salt Lake to do the drive by view of Kimball's humble three bedroom home. There is more to life than money and things it won't buy.

BTW, enjoyed finding the later Bean novels, completely by surprise.

Just visiting from Times and Seasons and my own blog.

[Dave]

Thanks for dropping by, Steven M. I reread my earlier comments and (perhaps in the holiday spirit) did some selective editing. Happy holidays!